For the Bath

You will find that your pantry essentials are not just useful in the kitchen, but in the bathroom as well. Many bath and beauty preparations will benefit from the addition of fresh or dried herbs. Making your own bath preparations is very simple, will save you a great deal of money, and will ensure you are bathing in the purest of ingredients.


Basic body scrub Smooth, blemish-free skin is easily achieved with the help of just a few basic ingredients. You can be sure that homemade scrubs are pure, with no added chemicals, and can be made to suit all types of skin.

• 5/8 cup (225g) coarse salt crystals


• 4 tablespoons olive oil


• juice of 1 lemon or lime
  

Mix all the ingredients together and rub all over the body once a week to exfoliate skin, concentrating on problem areas, such as knees, feet, and elbows; then shower off. The lime or lemon juice in the mixture acts as a bleaching agent, which will whiten your finger and toenails. The scrub can also be used as a cuticle softener, on both feet and hands. For extra therapeutic benefits, add some fresh or dried herbs or essential oils to your body scrub:

• comfrey, for rejuvenation and softening of the skin
• lavender, to promote restful sleep
• elderflowers steeped in water, to whiten and soften the skin, and to lighten freckles
• mint, for a fresh and invigorating sense of well-being
• rosemary, to invigorate and energize
• vervain, to alleviate nervous exhaustion
• thyme, for its antibacterial properties

For more information on essential oils and products please visit www.youngliving.org/deniceholland

Refreshing morning bath tonic For an extremely invigorating tonic, add crushed wormwood leaves to cider vinegar and leave to infuse. Store in a glass jar with a nonmetallic lid. Add this to running bathwater in the morning for a fresh start to the day.

Bath teas Infuse fresh bay leaves in boiling water and add the strained bay tea to a hot bath to relieve aching limbs. For healthy skin, pour a cup of strong rosemary tea into bathwater.

Deep cleanse with fennel For a really deep cleansing, use fennel seeds and leaves with oatmeal in your bath bag:

Oatmeal Bath Bags

Organic oatmeal flakes make a wonderful skin softener when added to bathwater. Make a selection, and if you can bear to, give some away as presents; but be sure to indulge yourself as well. You will need: cheesecloth, organic oatmeal, herbs-either flowers or sprigs, ribbon or string

1. Cut some squares of cheesecloth each measuring approximately 8 x 8 in. (20 x 20 cm).
   
2. Place a handful of oat flakes together with some herb flowers, or a sprig or two of your chosen herb, on each square of cheesecloth. Gather up the corners and tie securely with ribbon or string to form a bag.
   
3. Make the ribbon long enough to tie to the faucet so that the running hot water deluges the bag. Alternatively, just drop the bag in the bath, immersing it in the water, and squeeze it gently until the water turns milky soft.

Coarse salt not only makes an excellent exfoliant, but also softens bathwater. Fill jars with natural coarse salt and add either olive oil or scented oil. Lavender oil makes very beautiful bath salts and, if used at night, will promote restful sleep. Other herbs, oils and fresh or dried flowers can be added to make unique customized bath salts-try rosemary oil with a sprig of rosemary, or rose oil with dried rosebuds. If using fresh herbs or flowers, use within one or two weeks, before the flower petals or leaves lose their color